Cobras bear a triple mission in Tagoloan

CEBU, Philippines — The newly-crowned Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball champions Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras will travel to Mindanao next week bearing with them a triple mission.

First off, the Cobras of coach Mike Reyes will be seeing action in the 1st Mohon Fiesta Open Invitational Basketbal Tournament slated on December 2-3 at the Mohon covered court in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

They will be going up against the Tagoloan Community College (TCC) Cagers, Professional World Academy-Misamis (PWA), and Southern Philippines College (SPC).

The top finisher will receive P30,000 while the second to fourth placers will get P20,000, P10,000 and P5,000, respectively.

On top of the competition, Southwestern U will use the two-day tilt spearheaded by Mohon Barangay Captain Francis Jerson P. Sabio as an opportunity to head-hunt for talents.

After dethroning the three-time defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers to win their first CESAFI title in five years fortnight ago, the Cobras are expected  to embark on a massive rebuilding program as three of their star players in Wiliam Polican, Red Cachuela and Dyll Roncal are no longer with the team next year.

Also, the Cobras will be giving away basketballs to the young aspiring cagers of Tagoloan as part of their community outreach project.

After Tagoloan, the Cobras will head right away to Kibawe, Bukidnon for the 1st Kibawe Mayor’s Cup Open Basketball Tournament set for December 4-8.

At the birthplace of Filipino sports hero Manny Pacquiao, the LGU Maramag-Cobras will take on the LGU Damulog-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, JT Gamolo Construction/Hotel de Susana-Sta. Lucia Realtors, Discover Dangcagan-Cagayan de Oro City, and the XY Builders-Tagoloan Community College (TCC) Cagers.

Halfway through December, the Cobras will go back to Tagoloan for the cash-rich Tagoloan 32-Under Open Invitational Basketball Tournament on December 16-21 where the champion will pocket a whopping P150,000 in cash prize.